


Volition

by AStrangeDaze (TerraRising)



Series: avarice and morality [2]
Category: NU'EST, Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Canon Divergence, Crime Scenes, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Magical Realism, Murder Mystery, Victorian-esque time period
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 21:43:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15849951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerraRising/pseuds/AStrangeDaze
Summary: Things, Daniel decides, were much easier before he came to know of the existence of one Lord Ong Seongwoo.Expansion of the Choice universe nobody really asked for.





	1. of lust (pt.1)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chaosmyths](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosmyths/gifts).



> So this is late and unfinished, but to my dearest Elle, please accept this as a belated birthday present and a token of my appreciation. 
> 
> Thank you for the past ten months of your lovely company; I will never not be grateful that you answered a stranger's nosy questions one day and continued to do so when I slid into your DMs. I honestly can't imagine you not being a part of my life anymore, and I'm grateful every day that you put up with my bs. No matter how much you doubt, please don't forget that to me you'll always been a wonderfully talented writer and someone I am honoured to call a friend.
> 
> Love you!
> 
>  
> 
> **First chapter can be skimmed if you have read Choice, though some minor tweaks are present**

The party below was in full swing; champagne and expensive wines flowed freely, and the waiters made their rounds with endless hors d'oeuvres courtesy of their host of the night. The debutants of the season fluttered around, dancing gaily in brightly coloured ball gowns, jewel coloured butterflies showing off the splendor of their wings for all the world to see.

“Aren’t you supposed to be down there?” the familiar voice at Daniel’s ear had him relaxing, uncurling his hand from the grip he had on the hilt of the short sword strapped at his waist, “You’ll catch hell from your grandmother for not representing the family if you spend your whole night sulking in the shadows.”

“I don’t see you down there,” Daniel quipped back, turning to accept the tumbler of brandy from Jisung with a grin, “Not up to taking one of the lovely debutants for a turn on the dance floor?”

Jisung snorted and settled heavily into the plush armchair next to Daniel, glancing over the balcony’s railings with a grimace. “Not on your life,” he declared passionately, “Brightly coloured things in nature are the most poisonous; however harmless they might be, their lady mothers are like piranhas hunting for fresh blood down there. If I place my name on any young lady’s dancing card tonight, her mother will surely plant aspirations in her head to be my intended.”

“Well then, there you have your answer,” Daniel chortled, “I guess we’re all hiding. Where’s your brother?”

At the mention of his brother, Jisung coloured slightly and coughed into his fist, “He’s down below waltzing with Miss Elisa.”

Daniel turned to scrutinize the couples waltzing below them and, sure enough, he spotted Jinyoung dancing stiffly with a young lady in a sky coloured gown with much too many layers of taffeta. “You abandoned your brother to save your own skin,” he marveled, “I’m not certain if that’s a heinous crime or brilliant, my good sir.”

“Oh stuff it, you’ve shoved your cousin into the jaws of death twice already this season, don’t act like you’re all high and mighty.”

“Jihoon was perfectly willing,” Daniel sniffed, “Besides, desperate times call for desperate measures, and escaping the grasp of the Lady Bollen and her three daughters at a marriageable age most definitely counts.”

“You’re both cowards and much too proud of the fact,” a new voice announced, the dulcet tones of female displeasure causing both of them to turn towards the interloper.

Daniel rose from his seat immediately to offer his arm to his sister, which she took with a reluctant sniff, “Sister sweet, what brings you so far from the festivities?”

Mina spared him a single unimpressed glance before curtseying in a flurry of rose coloured skirts, “Lord Jisung, how are you this fine evening?”

Jisung rose and bowed back with a fond smile, “Infinitely better now that I have the pleasure of your company, Lady Mina. May I say, you look dazzling tonight. And let us spare the formalities, we’re practically family here.”

“I thank you kindly,” she answered with a smile, allowing her bemused brother to escort her to a seat.

Mina chatted happily with Jisung, telling him of her summer thus far, how her dear friend Lady Nayoung’s family had purchased the loveliest mares recently and they had been having the best of times going for rides on Baron Kim’s lands the past fortnight. Throughout it all, she refused to so much as glance in Daniel’s direction much to his annoyance and Jisung’s growing amusement.

“Come now, Mina,” he cajoled, finally cutting in, “Don’t be cross with me. I promise I did not forget that I promised you a turn on the floor tonight, have I done something to upset you?”

“Done something to upset me?” she finally whirled on him, cheeks flushed with righteous anger, “You left me down there with no proper chaperone! Alone with the likes of Lord Ha and Baron Werther’s son! Why, if we weren’t in polite company I would have set your jacket aflame already, don’t think that I won’t!”

“There are several chaperones downstairs and you’re plenty capable, Mina,” Daniel protested and Jisung wisely reached his hand towards the wall to activate the sigil for privacy located beneath the light fixture, knowing what was to come with his younger friend effectively shoving his own foot in his mouth.

“But you were supposed to be  _mine_!” Mina railed, her eyes sparking the same colour as her gown in her irritation, proof that she had a right to wear the colour as much as any, “You were supposed to be there so I wouldn’t have to defend myself! Instead Earl Ong’s son had to intervene and defend my honour from that pig while my own brother was nowhere to be seen; what do you have to say for yourself now?”

Daniel sat up at attention, eyes blazing, “Who dared? What liberties did they attempt to take from you?”

“Oh, now you care!” Mina cried, rising to her feet and jerking her arm out of her brother’s reach, fingers clenched in the fine silk of her gown, “You didn’t care a wit about me earlier but now that it might reflect badly upon you, you’re suddenly ready to rush in and beat your chest like some Neanderthal! Well I didn’t need you, I gave that pig third degree burns the moment he tried to lay hands on me and Lord Seongwoo interjected on my behalf and ejected him from the premises.”

The look in Mina’s eyes, the way they burned the same red as his as if daring Daniel to say anything, caused the man to bite his tongue for the moment, though it probably had more to do with the hand Jisung laid on his forearm, the older man projecting his own calm unto Daniel. After a tense moment of the siblings staring each other down, Daniel dipped his head in concession. Only then did Mina’s grip on her dress loosen though the silk was visibly crumpled now. It still took a few deep breaths before the red faded from either sibling’s eyes completely.

“I apologize,” Daniel finally offered in a low tone, bowing with his right fist against his heart, “I was remiss in my duties as your chaperone, but more importantly, in my responsibility as your brother. I ask for your forgiveness and the chance to correct my wrongs.”

Mina held onto her anger for another breath before deflating, settling back in her seat and crossing her arms. “You can start by thanking Lord Seongwoo for his intervention,” she finally advised primly.

Only then did Daniel straighten from his position, “Of course, I could do no less.”

Gingerly seating himself again, he looked at his sister and at Jisung who was blessedly still remaining silent in his judgment, “Though, this is the first time I have heard of this Lord Seongwoo. Is he a foreigner?”

“He’s Earl Ong’s eldest son, from his first marriage,” Jisung responded, finally rejoining the conversation now that he was assured neither sibling was going to commit arson, “His late mother was foreign nobility though you were probably too young to recall this; after her passing, Lord Seongwoo was sent overseas to be raised by her family as she had been their only child and heir. With his second-born son still three years from his majority and Earl Ong’s shaky health recently, I believe he has finally recalled Lord Seongwoo to reside with them, at least until Guanlin enters adulthood and finds his own feet.”

 

Daniel takes a moment to digest the information; he had met Guanlin several times over the years and was on pleasant enough terms with the young man, though not enough to be privy to his family affairs. “You are acquainted with him then, Jisung?”

“In passing,” the elder admits, “Jinyoung is more familiar with him than myself, given his friendship with Guanlin. To my knowledge, Lord Seongwoo makes two trips each year to spend time with his father and siblings. Both Guanlin and Doyeon are infinitely fond of him, and Jinyoung has only good things to speak of him as well.”

Just as Daniel was about to question his friend further, an ear-splitting scream rend through the air, cutting through the music as the band halted their playing with a discordant screech. Daniel wasted no time at all, one hand already drawing his weapon as he vaulted over the balcony’s railing, the amber drop that hung from his ear coming to life as it slowed his descent, allowing him to land safely and dash towards the direction of the scream. Even the few guests who did not recognize him shifted out of the way quickly upon seeing the Vindex emblem displayed proudly on his shoulder.

When he arrived on scene, his eldest cousin Dongho was already there, giving him a terse nod while speaking in low tones to a young woman who was clutching the lapels of her borrowed jacket closed over a tattered dress. The tear tracks on Lady Jieqiong’s face were not yet dried but the fury in her eyes were unmistakable as they blinked between a glacial blue and black.

Daniel jogged past the pair, confident that his cousin had the lady’s needs well in hand, and headed further down the twisting corridors until he spotted his target, the frosted doorframe and shattered ice on the floor outside making it stand out like a sore thumb. He slowed as he drew closer to the room, sword in hand, wary of any surprises that might await him.

When none of the detection runes on his scabbard reacted, he stepped into the study, eyes darting around quickly to take stock of the scene. A figure was collapsed on the ground surrounded by shattered ice; it took Daniel a moment to identify him by his robes, the coat of arms barely visible on his collar marking him as Duke Myong.

And he had been completely turned to stone.

Daniel cursed the fact that he only had the basic protective equipment with him today; he couldn’t risk touching the Duke in the event that whatever had turned him to stone was still lingering on him and active. An empty box was on the floor a few feet from the fallen man, the delicate wrapping paper that had once been within it scattered about. The glint of something at the foot of the desk caught Daniel’s eye and he walked over, reaching out to pick up the object partially obscured by wrapping paper.

“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.”

Daniel whipped around to face the figure standing in the doorway, sword raised between them instantly; he hadn’t sensed the other’s presence at all.

“Who are you?” he demands, eye narrowed and keeping his sword carefully raised between himself and the other man.

The stranger was almost Daniel’s height, the classically fine features of aristocracy were ones he wore easily and has given his own charm. He was dressed in a simple black suit but the cut spoke to its quality. To Daniel’s disappointment, there was nothing in the colours of his accessories or tie to give away any hints of hidden talents he might possess, though Daniel swears he saw the other’s eyes flash with gold in the instant their eyes met.

“No one of import,” the stranger continues, taking another step into the study, dismissing the sword being pointed at their heart entirely, “I’ve seen those before, they can activate by touch. Unless you would like to join the Duke Myong in becoming a living statue, I would suggest you not to touch it without proper protection.”

“You’re trespassing on the site of a Vindex investigation, I’ll ask you again. Who are you?”

“Who I am is perhaps less important than identifying the culprit,” the stranger sidestepped Daniel’s question neatly, wandering around the clear threat in Daniel’s posture to peer at the mess left behind on the desk.

Daniel’s eyes snap towards the direction of whatever has captured the stranger’s attention, striding over to block the other’s view and glaring at the incessant disruptions to his investigation. The stranger steps back before Daniel bodily forces him out of the way, hands raised almost mockingly as he nods in deferance to the Vindex officer’s authority. There’s a note placed a little too centrally on the table to be anything but deliberate, looping script spelled out a single mocking line: For sins shall come home to roost. Beside the note were a golden key and a vial of blood.

He pulls out an evidence bag from his pockets, thankful that bringing one along was second-nature to him by now, and sweeps the three objects inside quickly, hiding them from prying eyes even though Daniel has a sneaking suspicion that the man had read the note and discerned much more than he himself knew at this time. With a displeased twist of his lips, Daniel turned his attention back to the object at his feet that was likely the weapon used to commit this crime. Glancing between the sliver of silver he could spy and the petrified form of the Duke, Daniel wracked his brain for possibilities without success.

Reluctantly, he turned eyes towards the stranger who was standing there with an almost bemused expression, arms clasped behind his back properly, as if waiting for Daniel to call on him. “You said you recognized the object, what is it?”

“A Gorgon Mirror,” the answer comes instead from an unexpected source.

Daniel looked towards the doorway to see Lady Jieqiong standing there with his cousin hovering behind her, a hard look on her face as she stared at the downed form of Duke Myong, the lines around her eyes giving away her contempt.

“Milady,” Daniel strode over to greet her, watching as the stranger also turned to receive her an elegant bow, “You are unharmed?”

Lady Jieqiong smiled sardonically, “As much as one can be given the circumstances.”

Daniel bowed his head silently in acknowledgement, looking over at his cousin who cleared his throat. “Lady Jieqiong has requested that we both be present as she gives her statement, although…”

Dongho pauses and exchanges a polite nod with the stranger, drawing Lady Jieqiong’s attention to him as well.

“Lord Seongwoo,” the young lady greets, the most genuine smile Daniel has seen from her so far tonight graces her face as the now named Seongwoo stepped over to accept her offered hand, pressing a chaste kiss to her knuckles.

“Lady Jieqiong, always a pleasure,” he murmured over her hand, “though the circumstances are less than ideal, I am glad to hear you are mostly unharmed.”

Lady Jieqiong nodded, withdrawing her hand and turning back to the two Vindex officers, “If Lord Seongwoo may stay as I provide my statement to you? His sister is a dear friend of mine and I find that his presence gives me some measure of comfort.”

Daniel shoots a speculative look towards this Lord Seongwoo, the trespassing stranger finally identified to him, but Dongho answered for them both readily. “Of course milady. Shall we have someone send for your chaperone?”

“If I may, Lord Dongho,” Seongwoo interjects, turning a knowing look towards Lady Jieqiong, “I have already sent word along to Lady Nayoung, she will be here shortly I have no doubts.”

Lady Jieqiong tucks away her own secret smile, allows some of the tension to melt away from her frame, and takes a deep breath to begin her tale.

She tells them how she had been taking a break from the festivities when Duke Myong had approached her, alleging that there was a suitor whom had asked him to pass on a gift to her. He had told her that the young man wished to remain anonymous for he feared rejection, and thus begged Duke Myong to pass on his gift in private, and that Lady Jieqiong could choose whether she would like to learn the young man’s identify after receiving the gift.

Though she did not have any intention of accepting this suit, Lady Jieqiong had wanted to thank him properly for the gift and his thoughts, and thus agreed to follow Duke Myong to one of the studies on the lower floor that their host has opened up for the chaperones and older guests to mingle away from their charges. There had been a beautifully wrapped box on top of the desk that he had retrieved and handed to her, and he had asked if she would like to open her gift now so that he might take back a written response from her to the young man, to which she had agreed.

When she opened the box, she had noticed an odd aura around the gift, the bracelet her mother always insisted she wear for protection had warmed against her wrist. She tells them that she had slowed her movements, startling when Lord Myong moved to close the door to the study, and then spied the runic etching along the edge of the mirror peeking out from beneath the wrapping paper. Recognizing it as a Gorgon Mirror, she had flung the gift at Lord Myong when he tried to grab her from behind. In the ensuing tussle, he had ripped her dress and she had blasted through the door with her gift, screaming for help.

“When I last saw him, my lords,” her voice wavers only slightly as she comes to the end of her story, though she clutched her borrowed jacket with white knuckles still, “He was still very much alive. I might have encased his legs in ice to hinder him, but he certainly was no statue.”

“Thank you, Lady Zieqiong,” Daniel smiles at her gently, hoping to set her more at ease, “Should you recall anything further, please do let us know.”

“Of course.”

Beside him, Lord Seongwoo looks up at where a young woman was hovering anxiously in the doorway and beckons her with a smile. The young lady nods at them before rushing to Lady Zieqiong’s side and enfolding her into thin arms, “Zieqiong, you are unharmed?”

“Nayoung,” Lady Zieqiong seems to all but collapse into the other woman’s arms, leaning heavily against her shoulder, “I am unharmed, you need not worry.”

“You frightened me, my love,” Daniel hears Lady Nayoung admit in a whisper, eyebrows climbing at the unexpected endearment.

He knew the two ladies only in passing, they were friends with Mina but his younger sister seemed to guard her friends from him jealously and thus it appears that even Lord Seongwoo who was only present twice a year were more familiar to the two of them. He glances at the other men to find Dongho had turned away to give them privacy while Lord Seongwoo flashed him a mischievous smile and held a finger to his lips, to which Daniel nodded, acknowledging the request for secrecy.

He nods as the other man move to usher the two ladies away, stopping to speak in low tones to Dongho for a moment, advising that he would see them both home safely. Daniel spares Lord Seongwoo’s retreating back one more glance before he sets about combing the room for evidence, working in tandem with his cousin easily. It was an easy partnership that worked well for them; Daniel relied more often then not on gut instincts while Dongho was more methodical – between the two of them on one crime scene, they rarely missed anything.

Members of their team who are on duty show up soon enough to take the body away. The party is winding down by the time that they’re finished with the scene, and both Daniel and Dongho are exhausted and mourning the loss of a rare day off. But they both knew a day off never meant they were really off-duty, even if Mina was going to have his head for leaving her alone again for the rest of the party.

Sure enough, she’s got that look on her face that tells him she’s going to be in a snit for a couple of days when he finally swings by to take her home. At least he has the comfort of knowing she won’t do more than sulk given that this was related to his job and not him abandoning her by accident. In his mind, he makes a note to follow up and thank Lord Seongwoo for intervening on Mina’s behalf earlier before he retires for the night.

 

* * *

Daniel’s up bright and early the next day, rushing into headquarters. With a high-profile victim like Duke Myong, he was lucky he even got to sleep; some members of his team look exhausted, having worked straight through the night. He’s barely in through the door before he gets a warrant to search Duke Myong’s home slapped against his chest and then he’s shoved unceremoniously towards the car where Dongho is already waiting.

“Morning cousin,” he yawns, dropping into the passenger’s seat beside Dongho.

“Morning,” Dongho grunts, clearly still not quite awake, accepting the cup of coffee Daniel passes him gratefully and chugging the drink.

“You’re going to give yourself a third degree burn drinking like that one day,” Daniel laughs as he sips more sedately at his own drink.

His cousin rolls his eyes as he starts the car and pulls out into the road. “We are Kangs. If I got burnt from drinking coffee, I would never live it down.”

Daniel snickers into his own drink, “You arrived at the scene rather quickly yesterday though, were you close by?”

“Yes, I was chatting with Minhyun and Jonghyun when we heard the scream. Where were you?”

“Upstairs,” Daniel fiddles with the buttons of his uniform for lack of something to do with his hands, “I was with Jisung and Mina.”

“How is Mina? This is her season right?”

“Upset at me,” Daniel admits, shamefaced, “I retreated upstairs to hide last night after the third mother tried to pawn their daughter off on me. While I was absent, she had to defend herself from someone making unwanted advances, though she assured me Lord Seongwoo stepped in and had the man thrown off the premises.”

Dongho frowned at the news, “I’m sorry I didn’t see that happening, or I would have intervened on her behalf. I do remember seeing Seongwoo escorting someone off the premises though.”

Daniel perks up at the familiar address, “Are you acquainted with Lord Seongwoo?”

“I knew him in passing before, but Minhyun became good friends with him during the year he was on exchange through the university,” Dongho answers, “When Minhyun came home for Yule that year, he brought Seongwoo along to our gatherings and he has a charming personality. We’re of the same age as well, he’s an easy acquaintance to make.”

“He was at the scene right behind us last night,” Daniel remarks, “I didn’t even hear him approach.”

Dongho glances over and laughs, “Seongwoo has feet like a cat; if you did not hear his steps, it’s not that unusual. Do you suspect him?”

Daniel shrugs, “Just another lead to cross off, yes? And he seemed to know what the mirror was even when it was covered...”

“He’s magically sensitive,” Dongho discloses, nodding to the gatekeeper as they pulled into the estate, “You and I may not have registered it, but that mirror was probably blazing like a beacon in his senses. If Minki had been closer, he would likely also have complained of a headache, being near mirror enchanted strongly enough to kill a man.”

“But the mirror was intended for Lady Zieqiong, was it not?” Daniel frowned, taking out the warrant to present to the gatekeeper who checked it and then waved them through with a nod, “I cannot think of a reason for Lord Myong to want Lady Zieqiong dead.”

“Which is why we’re here to investigate Lord Myong’s home,” Dongho reminds him, the two of them making the trek up the manor’s front steps, nodding at passing servants who pull away to whisper behind their palms, eyes tracking them every step of the way, “He may have been the victim in the end, but the intention of the crime based on Lady Zieqiong’s account paints him as the perpetrator.”

“Well,” Daniel pushed the doors open after a cursory knock, “I hope the answers are here.”

They set about combing every inch of the manor, Dongho’s default expression and intense gaze thankfully enough to drive away any scandalized servants who wanted to stop them from entering certain rooms the Duke Myong had declared off limits to visitors. It becomes clear soon why; the bookcase of the Duke’s private library shifts to reveal a hidden study with strange ledgers. Large amounts of money are noted to have exchanged hands for shipments of unknown products.

“Gods above,” Dongho mutters, shifting through the stacks of paper for a hint of what the ledgers pertained to, “there has got to be a hint here somewhere. We’re missing something, but I don’t know what, it’s maddening! What I wouldn’t give to bring Minki here.”

“Lord Minki is clairvoyant is he not?” Daniel called over his shoulder, pressing his fingers along the panels of the wall carefully, “Can he divine what we are looking for?”

Dongho snorted, “No, his ability is akin to psychometry, he can read impressions from objects, but like Seongwoo, he is highly sensitive to auras. If there is something hidden, he would be a boon to pointing us in the right direction if nothing else.”

When he got no response, Dongho looked up to see Daniel studying a panel at the corner of the room hidden under a beautiful rug. “Is there something under there?”

“It would appear so,” Daniel mumbled with a frown, “The carpet has been charmed to stay in place, there has to be something beneath it.”

“Here, let me,” Dongho strolled over, pulling a paper talisman from his pocket that he set over the rug.

Upon contact the paper glowed a fiery orange, black symbols leaping out from the paper with a hiss settle across the rug. The carpet seemed to shudder as it fought the talisman before it’s enchantments gave out and the object settled limp against the ground again.

“Nice,” Daniel whistled lowly, “I don’t suppose that was department standard?”

“No,” Dongho grinned mischievously and winked at his cousin, “Made up special by Jonghyun.”

“Does he take commissions?” Daniel mused.

The elder laughed, “He ought to, but for friends to pay him he often considers it an insult. If you mention it to him on your next meeting, he’ll likely pass on some to you and refuse payment. But you can repay him with a gift if you conscience demands otherwise.”

“What do you usually gift him with?” Daniel asked, curious, as they pulled the rug back to reveal a hidden entrance.

“Fire Stones,” Dongho responds, dropping to his knees to run his fingers against the seams of the trap door, squinting at the runes the lined it and the tiny keyhole nearly hidden between the gaps of the floorboards, “This is more intricate than anything a talisman can dismantle, these are blood runes.”

Daniel startled and then cursed, patting himself down before pulling the evidence bag from yesterday out of his pocket. “Here,” he upended the bag unto the floor, handing the key to his cousin who quickly into the hole, “These were on the desk in the study yesterday, along with this note. I had forgotten I retrieved them in the ensuing excitement when Lady Zieqiong revealed the origins of the mirror.”

Daniel uncorked the vial of blood and smeared it along the runes, nodding at Dongho when he was done and the older man turn the key carefully. The runes glowed faintly, coming to life with a hum before the door sunk into the floor to reveal a set of stair leading downwards into the dark. The cousins looked at each other and Dongho swept a hand towards the opening with a grin, “After you, cousin.”

Daniel rolled his eyes but obligingly stepped inside, summoning flames in his palm to light his way. “You’re just waiting for some insect to fly out and for me to make a fool of myself, aren’t you?”

Dongho laughter is response enough and the two descend into the passageway carefully, Dongho pausing to slap a stasis seal on the opening lest it shut behind them. Dust creeps into Daniel’s nose and he sneezes violently, scrubbing a hand over his face to dislodge whatever web he has walked into with a shudder, trying to bite back his reaction to avoid more teasing from his cousin. “Are you alright?” Dongho asks when Daniel stops to gather himself, feeling lightheaded.

“I’m fine, just needed to catch by breath in between sneezing,” he waves off the concern, continuing on his way.

When they reach the bottom, Daniel turns and stops dead in shock, Dongho bumps into his back and curses when he catches sight of what had struck his cousin dumb. The scent of decay hits them both a moment later, but it is what they see that has them both struggling not to hurl, disgust and horror surging up within them in equal measures.

Cells lined the right of hidden room, young women huddled within them dressed in rags, pressed against the farthest wall, eyeing the two men fearfully. To their left was a pile of bodies discarded cruelly, stacked haphazardly, limbs awry, as if they were nothing more than a child’s broken dolls.

“Slaves,” Dongho breathes in disbelief, “Duke Myong was making his fortune on human lives.”

 

* * *

 

The scandal of Duke Myong’s dealings left the country reeling in shock and the Vindex buried in paperwork. The news made headlines across all news outlets and one could scarcely turn anywhere without hearing the Duke being denounced over the radio, or see pictures of starved victims with dead eyes being reunited with their crying families.

Daniel sleeps fitfully, having taken to resting on one of the cots at headquarters rather than returning home. His dreams are filled with echoing whispers and dark, liquid eyes that seem to always be watching him, and he jolts awake often throughout the night, head pounding though he cannot recall what it was in his dreams that unnerved him so.

But perhaps, he concedes, face set like stone as he reviewed the records they had seized from Duke Myong’s secret study, reality was more unsettling than dreams. There’s a knock on his door and to Daniel’s surprise, Dongho enters accompanied by Lord Seongwoo and Lord Jonghyun. He stands up quickly and sketches a quick bow towards both men, looking towards his cousin for an explanation.

“Seongwoo and Jonghyun were brought in as consultants regarding the mirror,” Dongho explains, “we just finished noting the report to be submitted.”

“Was the mirror the murder weapon then?”

“It seems most likely, Gorgon Mirrors hold the quality of petrification within them,” Jonghyun offers, falling easily into lecture mode, “There are currently three in existence that we know of and the were crafted to freeze their victims in place; this was posited as the means by which Duke Myong subdued many of his victims. The mirror he had been using was not meant to kill, however, we found traces of runic tampering on the back that altered the strength of the curse.”

“But Duke Myong was intending to kidnap Lady Zieqiong, not kill her. He cannot be the one who had the mirror altered.”

“No,” Seongwoo interjected, with a knowing smile, “The mirror was altered after Lady Zieqiong fled the scene. The window for them to do so was short, but Dongho was preoccupied with ensuring Lady Zieqiong’s safety rather than rushing to the scene. If it was a master of the art, it is difficult but not impossible to tamper with the runes. By the lady’s own admittance she had hindered him physically to make her escape, the Duke was likely easily subdued.”

“Were there any traces left on the mirror?”

Both Seongwoo and Jonghyun shook their head, “None that any of us can identify. We were hoping you might have found something on your end.”

“Nothing here but more evidence to show the atrocities Duke Myong had committed,” Daniel sighed, eyes locked on Lord Seongwoo’s lithe form, a niggling thought eating at him still, “Whomever it was, they were smart about it. And with the weight of Duke Myong’s crimes, most are of the opinion that he deserved it; if anyone knows of anything, they are in no hurry to step forward.”

Lord Seongwoo turns to meet Daniel’s gaze unwaveringly, “How unfortunate.”

Daniel’s eyes narrowed, “Indeed.”


	2. of envy (pt.1)

 

“Please stop wearing that look on you face, brother mine,” Mina sighs at Daniel who hurries to school his face into something less long-suffering, “You were the one who suggested a trip to the gardens now that you are no longer encumbered by the investigation. If you had only offered out of some misplaced sense of duty, I’d much rather you leave me to seek out my friends and enjoy this lovely day without your incessant moping.”

 

“My apologies Mina,” Daniel sketches a tired little bow in apology and offers her his arm again which she takes with a warning look, “I’m just still overly tired from the whole affair. I would like nothing more than to take a turn around the gardens with my dearest sister, but I’m afraid the tranquility of the place is getting to me.”

 

Mina shakes her head and then changes the direction she had been walking towards abruptly, dragging her brother with her. “Let’s take a spin through the market place then,” she suggests instead, “I heard that some of the local artists would be by to display their wares for the next fortnight or so. Why don’t we take a look there, perhaps you’ll find something there to keep your attention.”

 

“That sounds splendid,” Daniel smiles at his younger sister, petting her on the head fondly even though she scowls at him for mussing up her hair.

 

The investigation had ended finally two days prior and it wasn’t until now that Daniel had finally rid himself of all the paperwork, striding out of the Vindex offices with the blessings of his superiors to take a day off for all the hard work done. After a full night of sleep, fitful as it was, Daniel had sat down to break fast with his sister for the first time that month.

 

The end of that ball had been a terrible way to start of almost a month of little interaction, what with Daniel having been absent at two more gatherings when he should have been there to escort and present his own sister during the height of her season. It would have sent tongues wagging maliciously were it not well known that Lord Kang Daniel was a crucial part of the newest Vindex investigation, which only led to all sorts of busybodies trying to cozy up to Mina for any gossip regarding the case. 

 

Well, hopefully now that things were settled down he could once again take his place at Mina’s side, but before than, he had to set about mending things between him and his sister. He hadn’t hesitated to offer to spend time with her; though they were both older now, Daniel doesn’t think he’ll ever hold his sister at arm’s length like so many of their peers do with their siblings once grown. 

 

Mina had been happy enough with the offer, throwing in a casual complaint regarding his absence that only served to let him know his presence had been missed. A spirited young woman, Mina’s first choice had of course been a leisurely ride turned race into the city. Daniel had coaxed her into a walk through the gardens, hoping to spend some cherished time catching up with his sister, only for his own fatigue to catch up with him in the most unseemly of ways. 

 

“Brother, look at this!” Mina drags him towards another stall, pointing towards a series of pocket mirrors, dainty little things made of polished silver.

 

He accepts the one Mina offers him and snaps it shut to look at the design outside, surprised not to see the usual pretty lattice of flowers or lace, but rather a liquid like black void with a rather primitive etching of an animal in gold.

 

“How novel,” Mina marvels, turning towards the vendor, “Did you craft these yourself?”

 

“Nay, milady,” the man tips his hat towards Mina with a polite bow, “t’was sold to me, some young lord looking to clear out an old manor’s storage. They’ve been rather popular with the young ladies so far, a bit of mystery to go with the pretty, if that catches your fancy?”

 

Mina sighs and returns the mirror, and Daniel replaces his as well with a nod towards the vendor, “Perhaps another time.”

 

“Of course, of course,” the vendor smiles, “I shall be here for some weeks still so should you change your mind, milady, you’ll know where to find me.”

 

“Where to next, sister?” Daniel sketches a dramatic bow, offering his arm again as Mina rolls her eyes but laughs in good humour.

 

“The next stall, my good sir,” she responds, nose stuck up into the air in a show of faux-hautiness that had Daniel giggling, “And every one thereafter, until we happen upon something I wish to bring home.”

 

“Very well then, onwards!” he declared impishly before dragging his sister forwards in an odd frogmarch while she screeched her complaints, fingers sending out sparks that had him darting away with laughter, Mina close on his heels.

 

“Have you made good on your promise to me yet?” Mina says casually a little whiles later, running her fingers carelessly across a rainbow of cashmere scarves she already had in abundance.

 

Daniel cocks his head in question, wondering what it was now that he had forgotten. He was already here to spend the day with her, was he not? 

 

His sister sighs, an overdramatized weary sound that she carries through from her shoulders to the tilting of her head, “You were to thank Lord Seongwoo for his intervention on behalf of our household, brother mine, or would you leave such a task to Grandmother instead?”

 

The name sent only a furrow to Daniel’s brow; he remembered the promise well enough, only he could not shake that unsettled feeling that came with the sound of Lord Seongwoo’s name. This half-foreign lord was seemingly shrouded in an air of mystery, perhaps done so with a purpose as many lords and ladies both so loved to elevate themselves beyond their station by putting on airs. Daniel could only see that little smile, that twist of the other man’s lips as he surveyed the scene he had so rudely intruded upon, a gaze Daniel would name as taunting without hesitation. Even now with his cousin Dongho’s guarantee that Seongwoo was a gentleman of the most respectable sort and his sister’s good regard towards the man, Daniel could not shake his suspicions that the man in question was hiding something and likely up to no good.

 

Yet he had promised his sister and Lord Seongwoo had indeed protected his sister in Daniel’s own absence, that was an undeniable fact and a favour Daniel must repay lest he present their house as ungrateful and ill mannered. “Of course I had not forgotten,” he fibbed, patting the hand resting in the crook of his elbow with a disarming smile, “I shall send out the invitations for Lord Seongwoo and his siblings to come dine with us post haste. Mina, were there any friends you would like to extend the invitation to? I shall be asking our cousins to attend as well; surely Lord Seongwoo would feel more at ease with Dongho present.”

 

_And so would I_ , he thinks but does not speak aloud.

 

Mina shakes her head, “No brother, Doyeon’s company shall please me well enough anda small, intimate gathering as thanks would be best. There is not need to make a spectacle of things, nor put Lord Seongwoo on display. Oh, look there!”

 

Within moments Mina was dragging him eagerly towards another stall, this one draped with fine silks, each brightly coloured and wafting a perfumed scent into the air with every breeze that passed through. “Good morning milady,” the proprietress of the shop steps forward with a little bow, the coins lining the edge of her shawl jangling with every movement, “Might I interest you in some of our new scents?”

 

“I am looking for a particular one,” Mina confessed, fingers already itching to riffle through the bottles but holding herself in check, “It comes highly recommended by a friend of mine but I do not recall the name, though I do think she mentioned daffodils?”

 

“Ah, I believe the scent milady speaks of should be Drowning Stars,” the proprietress offers an apologetic bow, “Unfortunately we have since sold out of that scent; it has been in exceedingly high demand lately.” 

 

“A pity,” the slight downturn of Mina’s lips were the only sign of her disappointment, and that she was quite quick to smooth away entirely, “Thank you for your time.”

 

They bid the shop keeper farewell and continued on with their stroll. “Why the sudden interest in scents, sister?” Daniel asked, curious, “Did you not claim that most only served to make your head spin?”

 

“Most do, but this was one I wanted to try regardless……imagine if it worked!”

 

“Worked?”

 

Mina flashes him an impish smile, “I heard that just a dab of the scent made any maiden more attractive, and folly or not, it is my season. What could it hurt?”

 

“Sounds like the sort of scheme aimed to bilk young ladies,” Daniel huffed, “You’d best not waste your money on such; besides, sister, your face is fair and requires no such thing.”

 

“You flatterer, you,” she laughs, high and gay, “Well then, good sir, I find myself desiring a new bonnet instead. Would you deny me that as well?”

 

“Never, sister sweet,” he declared, guiding her towards the stall of her desire, “You shall have any bonnet you wish.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

At his sister’s insistence, Daniel sends out the invites to Lord Seongwoo and family upon their return to the manor house. To his utter dismay, Lord Seongwoo replies with an affirmative by the evening, and the date is set for the next evening Daniel was free of his duties which suddenly seemed much too soon indeed. There was little at work to distract him from what he was sure would be nothing but an impending disaster, with the most shocking news being a well-known dancer fainting on a minor lord, only the be pronounced dead shortly afterwards. The lord in question was up in arms, throwing baseless accusations of assassination around in a fit, while the establishment scrambled to settle other startled clients lest they lose their livelihood entirely. 

 

A week passes, the agreed upon date day dawns upon Daniel and, surprisingly, dinner goes rather smoothly.

 

Mina was friends with Lady Doyeon, though they were far from bosom buddies, and had plenty to chatter about with the young lady. Surprisingly, young Guanlin seemed to be very well acquainted with Jihoon, the younger speaking animatedly with the other boy, drawing everyone into their playful banter over the course of the dinner, the mood buoyed by his good cheer.

Daniel smiles to see the youngsters getting on so well, rushing off to the parlour for a game of Snapstones, and stifles a yawn into the back of his hand. Lord Seongwoo, and the older man had requested Daniel drop titles, professing to find such formalities stifling though Daniel had refused stiffly, unwilling to allow for any such implied closeness between them so quickly, eyes the younger and frowns, pausing in his speech and taking in the dark circles under the other’s eyes and the dullness of his skin.

“Perhaps, we ought to take our leave and allow you to rest,” Seongwoo sets the decanter of wine back down delicately, offering another smile that turned tight as Daniel clung stubbornly onto his dislike of the older man, “You and Dongho both; that investigation has run you two ragged. We will impose on your hospitality another time.”

Determined to validate his earlier reservations, Daniel had remained guarded throughout the entire evening. No matter how the older man attempted to draw Daniel into conversation, he was turned aside with curt responded and bland smiles. No matter how charmed each other his family members were by Lord Seongwoo, Daniel was resolute in his wariness - no half foreign lord would be so easily welcomed, though Daniel of course afforded him every consideration that was owed to a man of his station. Lord Seongwoo’s every word was analyzed, every action scrutinized; his very presence set Daniel on edge and the longer he presented himself to be harmless and polite, the more certain Daniel was that he was concealing his true intentions behind the veneer of a gentleman.

 

His cousin had tried hopelessly to mediate, bringing up topics of mutual interest to bait Daniel into more relaxed conversation, casting the younger man exasperated glances. It was clear that Dongho had been feeling increasingly dissatisfied with his cousin’s conduct throughout the dinner in the apologetic manner he glanced at his friend for every minor slight by Daniel.

 

Even now, Daniel was quick to seize upon the out presented to him in order to cut the evening short. “You are too kind,” he intoned stiffly even as he got to his feet, bowing _just_ deeply enough to not be rude, “I had thought myself recovered but it seems to be a work in progress.”

 

“Health is important and the good work that you do oft demands much of you, I’m sure,” Lord Seongwoo stood as well with a nod, taking the dismissal for what it was, “Let me just stop a moment to gather my siblings and we shall leave you to your rest. You have my thanks again for your invitation and for opening up your home to us.”

 

Daniel saw the guests to the door though the younger ones protested at being ripped away from their games, Guanlin exclaiming how he nearly had Jihoon beat and Mina refusing to let Doyeon leave without wrangling a promise from the other young lady to join her and Lady Nayoung on the weekend at the park. 

“Now that,” Dongho commented, as soon as the door is shut firmly, eyebrow raised, “Was not only terribly rude, but _delightfully_ out of character for you, cousin mine. Please, do tell me why you decided to wear the visage of such pointed dislike all evening for a dinner party _you threw_ to thank your sister’s saviour?”

 

“I have been nothing but courteous,” Daniel cast his eyes around the room so not to meet his cousin’s chiding gaze, “Perhaps Lord Seongwoo and I have interests too different to be anything more than passing acquaintances; even I cannot be friends with everyone.”

 

“This isn’t still about him being at the scene of the crime, is it?” Dongho asked, looking rather exasperated, “I have told you several times now that he is magically sensitive, it would have been more strange for him _not_ to have come to investigate; lords know Minki would have done the same. And don’t tell me you weren’t interested in what Seongwoo had to say in regards to his projects; I know you hold great interest in esoteric studies, whether you have an aptitude for them or not.”

 

Daniel turned to Jihoon for aid only for his younger cousin to raise his arms in silent surrender and scuttle over to where Mina was feasting on the remains of their dessert, unwilling to be caught in this argument. Feeling rather betrayed, Daniel settled for silence and sulking rather obviously, knowing his older cousin hated to cause any of his family distress.

 

Sure enough, Dongho sighed but pressed no more, heading instead up the stairs to the quarters he always slept in when he stayed overnight - or so Daniel thought. 

 

“I will be hosting a get together at my townhouse soon,” Dongho calls from the second floor, “Minki has been insisting upon an intimate soiree after ‘so much quiet’ he calls it though his place is under renovations, and will likely take the whole operation over.You are, of course, invited; do pass on my invitation to Lord Jisung as well. And perhaps, you can learn to set down this baseless grudge against Seongwoo.”

 

“I never agreed to attend,” Daniel protested uselessly even as his cousin walked further away with a yawn and a casual wave.

 

“Oh just go to the party,” Mina rolls her eyes, shoving a bite of fruit crumble into Daniel’s mouth, “Lord Seongwoo is perfectly charming, if anyone ought to have complaints of this evening it would be him. And I would support it, seeing how moodily you behaved all evening even in the face of his good humour and cheer.”

 

“Bewitched, the lot of you,” Daniel shook his head with a tsk, “bewitched.”

 

Mina’s only response was to smear the dessert across his face instead.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“People are dying.”

 

In a corner of Daniel’s mind, he wishes for a moment he wasn’t so utterly desensitized to such a statement that his immediate feelings were not ones of horror, but rather a mix of dread and long suffering pity for the poor souls involved. Setting his pen down with a heavy heart, he turned to look at the grim visage of his fellow Vindex Officer, Lord Roh Taehyun, second son of Baron Roh and Daniel’s senior. He stood immediately to in respect for the other despite outranking the older man and was waved off with a fond smile.

 

“Save that for when my father next needs a reminder that I’m not disgracing him by working a salaried job,” Taehyun jokes, a fleeting smile pulling at his lips as he walks over and casually hops up to sit on the top of Daniel’s desk, “We have reports of three young ladies dead, two from merchant families, one the second daughter of a minor noble.”

 

“Any traces of foul play?”

 

Taehyun offers Daniel the files in his hand which the younger accepts, flipping through them immediately, “There have been some fingers pointed and baseless claims made as per usual what with emotions so volatile. The parents of the girls did admit they had been ill previously while under questioning but insisted that at the time of their deaths they were at the peak of health, so it seems unlikely to be some budding plague. Other than that, no obvious injuries, their bodies are resting at the morgue at this time but the coroners are still working on the reports. You up to take a stroll with me?”

 

Daniel nods, shedding his uniform jacket and switching it for a more casual coat before joining Taehyun as they head out into town under the glow of the late afternoon sun, passing by Dongho and Aaron who nod at them, eyes flickering over their attire. “Stroll?” Aaron asks, mouth pulled into that perpetual half-smirk.

 

“Anything obvious?” Daniel offers, doing a turn around jokingly to present himself.

 

“Nothing that stands out right away,” his cousin’s friend laughs, “But both of you are rather well-known faces within the force at this time, what is a lack of a badge going to conceal?”

 

Taehyun shrugs, “It puts the civilians at ease regardless; the less offical the visit, the less they clam up, expecting an arrest. Did you both just come back from assignment?”

 

“Paperwork,” Dongho confirms grimly, lifting up his messy case notes in a salute that had them both nodding in commiseration.

 

“We’ll be off then, see you around?”

 

“Dinner at mine on the weekend,” Dongho calls after him as Daniel jogs after Taehyun to catch up, “You had best show up or I’m telling grandmother!”

 

“Didn’t take you for a tattle-tale cousin!” Daniel laughs when Dongho only him the two finger salute.

 

Taehyun is waiting for him at the foot of the stares, an amused look on his face. “You Kangs are always spirited.”

 

Daniel only offers a shrug; spirited was a more polite way to describe their rowdy behaviour, but it was also excused for the most part with stereotypes of fire affinities working in his favour for once. “So, whereabouts are we headed?”

 

“I was hoping we might pay a visit to some of the victims friends,” Taehyun replies as they clamber into the vehicle with the older man behind the wheel, “The ladies will undoubtedly have spoken more frankly of any issues with a confidant than parents, and perhaps we shall find if there are any connections between the three victims that have been missed.”

 

They pull up in front of the townhouse of a Miss Miriam West shortly after, and the maid answers the door, showing them to the living room where the young woman receives them, eyes swollen and face blotchy from incessant sobbing. She can recall no enemies that the deceased Miss Lalaine had, some petty rivalries over clashing dresses, yes, but nothing to warrant a murder. No love rivals, no outstanding debts, a bout of terrible fever a month or so ago, but nothing else that stood out in mind. They thanked her for her time, left her the station’s number should she recall anything further, and took their leave.

 

None of the other friends of the deceased have anything substantial to offer either. The three young women did not run in the same circles, though the two from merchant families were passing acquaintances. The only connections were flimsy at best - favoured cosmetic shops, fashionable boutiques each had liked to shop at, and two little tea shops that were all the rage these days. Half the young ladies in the city with enough means to do so frequented these areas; the lack of a lead to go on was enough to drive a man mad.

 

“I’ll see you on the morrow?” Taehyun sighs, his words a quiet admission of defeat and an offer of reprieve for the day.

 

“On the morrow then, let us go over what we have gathered in the morning with a fresh set of eyes,” Daniel agrees, hungry and eager to return home though he could only hope tonight would be a night he would be able to rest properly.

 

He returns to the manor as silently as possible so not to wake the household to no avail, his loyal housekeeper clucks at him the moment his feet cross the threshold, a hearty stew and warm bread is brought out within minutes and Daniel scarfs it all down gratefully. He turns in for the night after a quick shower, only to jolt awake in the dead of the night, cold sweat matting his skin even as he shivers from the phantom touches that still seem to linger from his dream.

 

Just as always, he can never remember exactly what it was that haunted his sleep almost nightly, could only barely recall the feeling of someone watching him, flashes of heat, and a feeling that left his heart pounding furiously. He’s too tired to bother changing the sheets tonight, throwing himself unto the chaise lounge under the window ledge instead, grabbing a pillow to tuck under his head. It’s still early enough in autumn that he can sleep naked without catching cold, so Daniel shucks the pajamas his nightly disturbance has nearly drenched through with sweat unto the ground and curls up under a light throw. He wills the racing thoughts away and exhaustion pulls him into the realm of sleep within minutes.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Heading out already?” Daniel calls as he jobs down the stairs to the odd sight of Mina leaving the house even early than he was.

 

“I’m on my way to break fast with Nayoung,” his sister replies, flashing him a smile.

 

“So early in the morning? Going for a ride afterwards?” he asks, taking in her attire.

 

“We are planning to call on Miss Veronica afterwards,” Mina explains, tucking her petticoats out of the way so she could step into her riding boots, “She was bed ridden with a horrid fever for days and has only just recovered.”

 

“How unfortunate, has she made a smooth recovery?”

 

Mina looks at Daniel furtively, pausing for a moment as if unsure whether this was appropriate to discuss. “Well enough,” she finally offers, “Just…there have been some odd rumours going around, some of the girls who have been to visit say Veronica looks like a completely different person after her small brush with death.”

 

“How so?”

 

Mina beckons Daniel closer to whisper into his ear so as not to speak loudly of something terribly rude, “They say, brother, that it’s as if the fever melted away every imperfection on her person; Sophie saw her two days ago and she said Miss Veronica was glowing with such beauty she scarcely recognized her.”

 

Daniel wracks his mind to recall an image of Miss Veronica Burlow whom, if he remembers correctly, had been presented two seasons ago but was as of yet still unwed. The second daughter of a rich merchant recently made a lord, Miss Veronica had skin unfortunately touched with smallpox scars and deep-set eyes too intense to be called beautiful in the conventional sense.

 

“How curious,” he allows, words weighing oddly on his tongue, “Perhaps she has just grown into her features?”

 

Mina rolls her eyes, “No amount of growing undoes scarring, brother mine.”

 

“Well regardless of that, I’m glad to hear she is well now. Enjoy your meal with Lady Nayoung and do take care when you’re riding, sister.”

 

“I’ll be fine,” Mina waves dismissively, “You need not worry, though if you insist on doing so, perhaps you’ll finally get around to purchasing a vehicle and hiring a driver for the family.”

 

“Do horses and the carriage no longer suit you, sister?” Daniel asks with a raised eyebrow.

 

“They are plenty good enough for me,” Mina scoffs, “Only I wish you’d stop fussing over me every time I go for a ride.”

 

“What I would not give if I had no cause to, sister,” Daniel’s answer is soft,his eyes riveted to an old portrait of their mother astride a destrier, the horse everyone had warned was much too wild to be tamed and the beast that would be her undoing, “What I would not give.”

 

Mina shifts uncomfortably for a moment before she stepped up to clasp her brother in a hug in apology, one that he returns instantly. She feels so small in his arms, still just as delicate as the day she was born, though she’s a woman now and grown. “I will take every precaution,” she reassures him, standing on tip toes to brush a kiss against his cheek, “You have my word.”

 

“Thank you,” he squeezes her tightly once and then releases her, clearing his throat and blinking away the woolgathering, “I may not be home for dinner tonight.”

 

“Then I shall not wait up for you,” Mina calls over her shoulder as she steps through the door, “Take care at work brother, I’ll see you in the morrow.”

 

Daniel watches his sister head out with a small skip in her step, a fond smile on his lips before he hurried to break his fast and then head out for the day.There was plenty to do today and Taehyun was expecting him at the station by seven, it would not do to dither and be late. His cook swipes at him with her spatula when he steals two slices of toast that were set out to be sent up to his grandmother. “Young Master, if you would just give me five minutes, I would be happy to set out a proper breakfast for you,” the old woman scolds fondly and Daniel chuckled, swooping in to kiss her on a weathered, leathery cheek, making her blush.

 

“But tante, I shall be late if I didn’t leave now! And even the toast you make is magnificent, have a good day!” he calls before scurrying out of the kitchens and running out the door, leaving his old cook shaking her head about how children never changed.

 

Taehyun greets him warmly, if a bit sleepily given it had been rather late when they retired the night before, before the both of them pour over their notes in Daniel’s office, snickering at the chicken scratch their handwriting had devolved into near the end of the night. In the end they are still unable to uncover any substantial leads or connections beyond what they saw the day before. It’s still an hour off from lunch when a grim faced message runner appears to report a fourth young lady had passed away scarcely an hour ago.

 

Glancing at Taehyun quickly confirms their course of action, both men spring up from their seats and hurry to the automobile with the address of the fourth victim in mind. Madame Yeol, mother of the deceased, is inconsolable. Questioning her becomes next to impossible as she sobbed into Daniel’s chest, wailing for the heavens to return her daughter to her in a complete abandonment of propriety. Her father was still away for business and likely did not even know of his daughter’s passing, leaving Taehyun to question the singular maid the family kept on staff while Daniel tried his utmost best to calm Madame Yeol long enough to detach her from his wrinkled dress shirt.

 

“Anything?” Daniel asks once he finally manages to slip out of the living room and into the hallway where Taehyun had just finished taking the maid’s statement.

 

“No foul play, though the maid mentioned the young Miss Yeol had also come down with a sudden fever she recovered from a few weeks previously. Any luck with Madame Yeol?”

 

“None,” Daniel shook his head, “She can scarcely stop crying long enough to string together a coherent thought. Let’s leave her to her rest, the body has been removed?”

 

Taehyun nods, slipping his notebook back into the pocket of his uniform jacket, “Sent to the morgue just prior to our arrival. Shall we make our way there?”

 

“Let us pay the good doctors a visit, and perhaps stop by the cosmetics shop on the way as previously planned?” Daniel suggested after they took their leave, “The morgue can wait until the morticians have had a chance to do their examination.”

 

The route to the office of the doctor who had tended to Miss Yeol passed by the cosmetics shop all four victims had shopped at and they hop out of the car, not quite expecting to find anything but hoping to cross one thing off their list. To Daniel’s surprise, Lord Seongwoo was the centre of attention in the shop, with at least three beauticians fawning over him, batting their eyelashes at the handsome mane and trying their best to win his attention. The older man is whispering something secretively into the ear of one woman who pales but then nods, gathering up boxes of powder and hurrying into the back with an envelope Lord Seongwoo slips up her sleeve that Daniel almost misses. The slight of hand so practised that he can’t help but admire it but then Lord Seongwoo turns towards him and he freezes. For a second Daniel doesn’t know what to say when their eyes meet; seeing the other man again in such a setting was so unexpected he found himself speechless before years of etiquette lessons kick in and Daniel sketches a bow that the other man returns with an elegant dip of his head.

 

“Lord Seongwoo,” the name rests stiffly in his mouth, tongue reluctant to taste the syllables, “How do you do?”

 

“Quite well, Lord Daniel,” the older man steps away from the employees who all looked quite disappointed his attention was drawn elsewhere, “And yourself? I don’t suppose you’re here for pleasure.”

 

His eyes linger on the uniform Daniel is clad in and for moment Daniel can’t help but puff up his chest, squaring his shoulders as if hoping subconsciously this might make him seem more authoritative and intimidating. He tries to play it off as a natural posture but the glimmer of amusement in Lord Seongwoo’s eyes tell him he failed in that regard and Daniel hurries to introduce Taehyun instead. “Might I introduce Lord Roh Taehyun? My partner for an ongoing case. Taehyun, Lord Ong Seongwoo,” he gestures towards his right and the two men exchange handshakes.

 

“I have not had the pleasure of your acquaintance,” Seongwoo bows, the motion smooth, “Though I have heard mention of you from Lord Sungwoon, it is a pleasure indeed.”

 

“Likewise,” Taehyun accepts the other man’s greeting, “Though I beseech you to pay no mind as to what my cousin says about my character.”

 

“And what brings you here today?” Daniel cuts in.

 

“A gift for my sister,” Seongwoo answers smoothly, unperturbed as he holds up a bottle of perfume, though Taehyun looks at him curiously with how sharp Daniel’s tone had been, “I shall leave you to your business then, though it was good to see you again. Will you be in attendance at Dongho’s party?”

 

“I will,” Daniel admits reluctantly, “I suppose I shall see you then, good day.”

 

Seongwoo tips his hat towards them with a small smile before heading to the register to pay for his purchase. “A friend of your’s?” Taehyun asks, eyebrow raised, “You don’t look thrilled to hear he will be in attendance at this party.”

 

“My cousin’s friend…perhaps I am being unfair to him but first impressions have left me someone wary of the man.”

 

“What did he do?” Taehyun looks at Seongwoo’s retreating back with new eyes, “Tis strange to hear of you speak negatively of your cousin’s friends.”

 

“He was snooping around the scene of a crime,” Daniel says drily, “Bold and brazen, and suspiciously knowledgeable. And now he is here today.”

 

“Oh come now,” Taehyun laughed, “He seemed well-mannered as any other gentleman who dotes on his sister. I cannot speak for when you first met him, but you can hardly fault a man for purchasing perfume for his sister.”

 

“No,” Daniel sighs, watching as Seongwoo exits the shop, leaving only the sound of chiming bells behind, “I suppose I cannot.”

 


End file.
